Mark Hunt's M Development was self-financing the development, and the cessation of construction revealed M Development did not have a construction loan in place when work began. Hunt now needs a $52.5M loan to complete construction. M Development retained Aries Conlon Capital to solicit offers, and Aries Conlon principal Sean Conlon said the project already has interest from lenders, term sheets in hand.

The project's location and Fulton Market's growing status as a hotel submarket may help it land financing even though the Nobu Chicago has been slow to move forward. The development broke ground in June 2016, three months before the Chicago Plan Commission OK'd the development. The general contractor, Centaur Construction, stopped work on two separate occasions recently because of payment issues.

M Development is building the project in partnership with Nobu Hospitality, the restaurant group from celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Actor Robert De Niro is an investor in Nobu Hospitality.